Sliding roof system for a nacelle

Abstract

A nacelle for a wind turbine includes a nacelle roof and a first wind turbine component, wherein the nacelle roof is configured to cover the first wind turbine component, the nacelle roof including a first sliding section and a second sliding section, wherein the first sliding section and/or the second sliding section is configured to slide over at least a part of the surface of the nacelle roof, wherein the first sliding section and the second sliding section are moveable between a closed position, in which the first wind turbine component is covered by the nacelle roof, and an opened position, resulting in an opening of the nacelle roof through which the first wind turbine component is hoisted.

Claims

1. A nacelle for a wind turbine comprising a nacelle roof and a first wind turbine component, wherein the nacelle roof is configured to cover the first wind turbine component, the nacelle roof comprising a first sliding section and a second sliding section, wherein the first sliding section and/or the second sliding section is configured to slide over at least a part of the surface of the nacelle roof, wherein the first sliding section and the second sliding section are moveable between a closed position, in which the first wind turbine component is covered by the nacelle roof, and an opened position, resulting in an opening of the nacelle roof through which the first wind turbine component is hoisted, wherein the first sliding section is configured to slide over the second sliding section and/or the second sliding section is configured to slide over the first sliding section, wherein the first sliding section and/or the second sliding section is configured to be lifted by a lifting system, wherein the first sliding section is stackable over the second sliding section and/or the second sliding section is stackable over the first sliding section, wherein the lifting system comprises shifting means coupled at the bottom part of the first sliding section and/or the second sliding section for allowing the sliding of the first and/or second sliding section over at least a part of the surface of the nacelle roof, rails placed under the shifting means, and studs supported on the nacelle by a supporting element, wherein an end of the studs abuts the rails.

2. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein a stack of the first sliding section and the second sliding section can axially move back and forth on at least a part of the surface of the nacelle roof.

3. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the nacelle roof further comprises a static section, the static section being a part of the nacelle roof fixed to the housing of the nacelle, wherein the first sliding section and/or the second sliding section is configured to slide over at least a part of the static section.

4. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the first sliding section and/or the second sliding section comprises a plurality of panels.

5. The nacelle according to claim 1, wherein the nacelle further comprises a second wind turbine component, wherein the nacelle roof is configured to cover the second wind turbine component, wherein the first sliding section and the second sliding section are moveable between a closed position, in which the second wind turbine component is covered by the nacelle roof, and an opened position, resulting in an opening of the nacelle roof through which the second wind turbine component is hoisted.

6. The nacelle according to claim 5, wherein the nacelle further comprises a drive train at least partially located below the nacelle roof, wherein the drive train comprises a main bearing and/or a gearbox and/or a generator.

7. The nacelle according to claim 6, wherein the generator is the first wind turbine component, wherein the generator is at least partially located under the first sliding section when the first sliding section is in a closed position.

8. The nacelle according to claim 6, wherein the gearbox is the second wind turbine component, wherein the gearbox is at least partially located under the second sliding section when the second sliding section is in a closed position.

9. The nacelle according to claim 6, wherein the nacelle roof further comprises a third sliding section being moveable between a closed position and an opened position, wherein third sliding section is configured to slide over at least a part of the surface of the nacelle roof.

10. The nacelle according to claim 9, wherein the main bearing is at least partially located under the third sliding section, wherein the main bearing is a third wind turbine component comprised in the nacelle which is hoisted through an opening of the nacelle roof when the third sliding section is in an opened position.

11. The nacelle according to claim 9, wherein the first sliding section and/or the second sliding section and/or the third sliding section comprises a dome-shaped region.

12. A method for mounting or demounting a first wind turbine component in a nacelle of a wind turbine, the method comprising the steps of: providing the wind turbine, wherein the nacelle roof is configured to cover the first wind turbine component, the nacelle roof comprising a first sliding section and a second sliding section, wherein the first sliding section and/or the second sliding section is configured to slide over at least a part of the surface of the nacelle roof, wherein the first sliding section and the second sliding section are moveable between a closed position, in which the first wind turbine component is covered by the nacelle roof, and an opened position, resulting in an opening of the nacelle roof through which the first wind turbine component is hoisted, wherein the first sliding section is configured to slide over the second sliding section and/or the second sliding section is configured to slide over the first sliding section, wherein the first sliding section and/or the second sliding section is configured to be lifted by a lifting system, wherein the first sliding section is stackable over the second sliding section and/or the second sliding section is stackable over the first sliding section, wherein the lifting system comprises shifting means coupled at the bottom part of the first sliding section and/or the second sliding section for allowing the sliding of the first and/or second sliding section over at least a part of the surface of the nacelle roof, rails placed under the shifting means, and studs supported on the nacelle by a supporting element, wherein an end of the studs abuts the rails, turning the studs abutting the rails in contact with the shifting means of the first sliding section, thereby increasing the height of the first sliding section until the shifting means of the first sliding section are above the top surface of the second sliding section, sliding the first sliding section over the top surface of the second sliding section to stack the first sliding section on top of the second sliding section, thereby resulting in an opening at the nacelle roof, and, mounting or demounting the first wind turbine component by hoisting it through the opening.

13. The method for mounting or demounting the first wind turbine component in the nacelle of the wind turbine according to claim 12, wherein the nacelle roof further comprises a third sliding section and the lifting system comprises shifting means coupled at the bottom part of the third sliding section, the method further comprising the step of: turning the studs abutting the rails in contact with the shifting means of the third sliding section, thereby increasing the height of the third sliding section until the shifting means of the third sliding section are above the top surface of the stack formed by the first and second sliding sections, and sliding the third sliding section over the top surface of the stack formed by the first and second sliding sections to stack the third sliding section on top of the first and second sliding sections, thereby increasing the size of the opening at the nacelle roof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

(1) Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a wind turbine;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a drive train inside a nacelle;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(11) FIG. 10 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(12) FIG. 11 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(13) FIG. 12 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(14) FIG. 13 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(15) FIG. 14 shows a nacelle roof according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections;

(16) FIG. 15 shows the shifting of sliding sections over the nacelle roof;

(17) FIG. 16 shows the shifting of sliding sections over the nacelle roof;

(18) FIG. 17 shows a crane installed at different positions inside the nacelle;

(19) FIG. 18 shows a lifting system comprising shifting means, rails and studs;

(20) FIG. 19 shows a lifting system comprising shifting means, rails and studs;

(21) FIG. 20 shows a lifting system comprising shifting means, rails and studs;

(22) FIG. 21 shows a lifting system comprising shifting means, rails and studs;

(23) FIG. 22 shows a lifting system comprising shifting means, rails and studs;

(24) FIG. 23 shows a lifting system comprising shifting means, rails and studs;

(25) FIG. 24 shows a lifting system comprising shifting means, rails and studs;

(26) FIG. 25 shows a lifting system comprising shifting means, rails and studs; and

(27) FIG. 26 shows how a lifting system is operated to lift, shift and stack sliding sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(28) FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine 40. The wind turbine 40 comprises a hub 43 connected to a generator (not shown) arranged inside a nacelle 1. The hub 43 comprises three wind turbine blades 44. The nacelle 1 is arranged at an upper end of a tower 41 comprising multiple tower sections. A longitudinal axis 42 passing through the nacelle 1 and the hub 43 is shown in the figure.

(29) FIG. 2 shows a drive train 30 inside a nacelle 1. There are two main types of wind turbines 40, the ones with a gearbox 32 and direct drive gearless wind turbines 40. Here, a drive train 30 comprising a gearbox 32 is shown, but drive trains 30 without a gearbox 32 for direct drive gearless wind turbines 40 are also suitable for embodiments of the invention.

(30) The drive train 30 comprises a main bearing 31, a gearbox 32 and a generator 33 arranged along the longitudinal axis 42 passing through the nacelle 1.

(31) FIG. 3 shows a nacelle roof 2 of a nacelle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention with three sliding sections, which are a first sliding section 3, a second sliding section 4, and a third sliding section 5. At least the first and second sliding section 3, 4 comprise a plurality of panels 6. The nacelle roof 2 further comprises a static section 10, which is a part of the nacelle roof 2 fixed to the housing of the nacelle 1. The third sliding section 5 has a dome-shaped region 7, which is the region at the transition between the nacelle 1 and the hub 43. Through openings in the dome-shaped region 7, workers can pass from the nacelle 1 to the hub 43. The nacelle 1 comprises a front opening 9 at the surface in contact with the hub 43 for a main shaft of the wind turbine 40 to be able to extend from the hub 43 to the nacelle 1.

(32) FIGS. 4 to 15 show the shifting of sliding sections 3, 4, 5 over the nacelle roof 2. In particular, FIGS. 4 to 8 show the side view and FIGS. 9 to 15 show the top view of the shifting of sliding sections 3, 4, 5 over the nacelle roof 2.

(33) FIG. 4 shows the shifting of the second sliding section 4 over the first sliding section 3. This shifting results in an opening 8 at the initial position of the second sliding section 4. Similarly, FIG. 5 shows the shifting of the third sliding section 5 over the second sliding section 4, resulting in an opening 8 at the region where the third sliding section 5 was positioned before the shift.

(34) After stacking the third sliding section 5 over the second sliding section 4, the opening 8 resulting from this shift can be further widened by stacking the stack of the third sliding section 5 and the second sliding section 4 over the first sliding section 3, as shown in FIG. 6. Hence, the first, second, and third sliding sections 3, 4, 5 can form a stack together. If a sliding section 3, 4, 5 has a dome-shaped region 7, as it is the case in this Figure with the third sliding section 5, then this particular sliding section will be stacked over the other sliding sections, as the other sliding sections can be flat and suited to support further sliding sections on top of them.

(35) As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the stack of the first, second, and third sliding sections 3, 4, 5 can be axially shifted over the nacelle roof 2. In FIG. 7, the stack of sliding sections 3, 4, 5 can axially move back and forth on the opening 8 of the nacelle roof 2. In FIG. 8, the stack of sliding sections 3, 4, 5 can axially move back and forth on the opening 8 of the nacelle roof 2, as well as on the static part 10 of the nacelle roof 2. The width of the opening 8 can be maximized by completely stacking all the sliding sections 3, 4, 5 on the static part 10 of the nacelle roof 2, as shown in FIG. 8.

(36) FIG. 9 shows the top view of the nacelle roof 2. The drive train 30 is arranged under the sliding sections 3, 4, 5 to ease the mounting and demounting of components of the drive train 30 through openings 8 on the nacelle roof 2. In particular, the generator 33 of the drive train 30 is arranged under the first sliding section 3, the gearbox 32 of the drive train 30 is arranged under the second sliding section 4, and the main bearing 31 of the drive train 30 is arranged under the third sliding section 5.

(37) FIG. 10 is the top view of the nacelle roof resulting from the shift shown in FIG. 4, where the second sliding section 4 is shifted over the first sliding section 3. This shifting results in an opening 8 over the gearbox 32, which allows to hoist the gearbox 32 out of the nacelle 1 or in the nacelle 1. Similarly, by shifting the third sliding section 5 over the second sliding section 4, an opening 8 over the main bearing 31 results, which allows to hoist the main bearing 31 out of the nacelle 1 or in the nacelle 1, as shown in FIG. 11.

(38) FIG. 12 is the top view of the nacelle roof resulting from the shift shown in FIG. 6, where the stack of the third and second sliding sections 5, 4 is shifted over the first sliding section 3, resulting in an opening 8 over the main bearing 31 and the gearbox 32. If the stack of the first, second, and third sliding sections 3, 4, 5 is further shifted on the static part of the nacelle roof 2, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 13, the width of the opening 8 is maximized, in this case uncovering the complete drive train 30 comprising the main bearing 31, the gearbox 32, and the generator 33.

(39) The stack of the first, second, and third sliding sections 3, 4, 5 can be axially shifted over the nacelle roof 2, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Even if the static part 10 of the nacelle roof 2 were not suited for the stack to be shifted on it, the shifting of the stack on the opening 8 of the nacelle roof 2 allows for a high flexibility for hoisting.

(40) FIGS. 16 and 17 show a crane 11 installed at different positions inside the nacelle 1. The crane 11 can be permanently installed at a position inside the nacelle 1 or moved inside the nacelle 1. Alternatively, a crane 11 installed on the static portion 10 of the nacelle roof 2 is also possible.

(41) Due to the flexibility of operation of the shifting of the sliding sections 3, 4, 5, the crane 11 can be installed or deployed at multiple positions in the region of the opening 8. By shifting the stack of sliding sections 3, 4, 5, the crane 11 can be then deployed in a different position. This is very helpful depending on the component which is to be hoisted in the nacelle 1. For example, if the gearbox 32 is being installed or replaced, the stack of sliding sections 3, 4, 5 is shifted over the initial position of the first sliding section 3 and thus the crane 11 can be deployed over the main bearing 31 and the opening above the main bearing 31 and the gearbox 32 allows to hoist the gearbox 32 out of the nacelle 1, as shown in FIG. 16. Similarly, if the generator 33 is being installed or replaced, the stack of sliding sections 3, 4, 5 is shifted over the initial position of the third sliding section 5 and thus the crane 11 can be deployed over the gearbox 32 and the opening above the gearbox 32 and the generator 33 allows to hoist the generator 33 out of the nacelle 1, as shown in FIG. 17.

(42) FIG. 18 shows a lifting system 24 comprising shifting means 20, rails 21 and studs 22. The shifting means 20 are wheels coupled at the bottom part of the sliding section 3, 4, 5 and arranged parallelly to the longitudinal axis 42 of the nacelle 1 and the rails 21 are placed under the wheels. For one sliding section 3, 4, 5, two rails 21 can be placed parallelly to the longitudinal axis 42 under the sliding section 3, 4, 5 at each side of the sliding section 3, 4, 5 for a good stability of the sliding section 3, 4, 5 during the lifting and shifting. At last, studs 22 are supported on the nacelle 1 by a supporting element 23, in this case a bracket, wherein an end of the studs 22 abuts the rails 21.

(43) FIGS. 19 to 26 show how a lifting system 24 is operated to lift, shift and stack sliding sections 3, 4, 5.

(44) FIGS. 19 to 23 show a possible way of lifting the rails 21, which results in a lifting of the sliding sections 3, 4, 5 to roll and stack sliding sections 3, 4, 5 on each other. Here, four studs 22 in their corresponding supporting elements 23 are shown, which lift a single rail 21. For this, the studs 22 are turned or pressed by means of a screwdriver or a hammer, which results in the end of the studs 22 abutting the rail 21 pushing the rail 21 up and lifting the rail 21. As the studs 21 have a limited length, the height of the lifting is also limited, but can be controlled precisely by the length of the studs 22.

(45) In FIG. 20, a stud 22 at an end point is turned. Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 21, the stud 22 at the other end point is turned. To increase the stability of the rail 21 and to avoid a bending of the rail 21, the rest of the studs 22 between the end points can also be turned, as shown in FIG. 22.

(46) FIGS. 23 to 26 show the lifting, stacking and shifting of the sliding sections 3, 4, 5 by means of the lifting system 24.

(47) FIG. 23 shows the initial position of the sliding sections 3, 4, 5. Under each sliding section 3, 4, 5, a rail 21 is placed. Each sliding section 3, 4, 5 comprises shifting means 20 configured as wheels to roll over other sliding sections 3, 4, 5 or other parts of the nacelle roof 2.

(48) FIG. 24 shows the stacking of the third sliding section 5 over the second sliding section 4. For this, the rail 21 under the third sliding section 5 is lifted, the third sliding section 5 is rolled over the second sliding section 4 by means of the wheels of the third sliding section 5, and the rail 21 of the third sliding section 5, which stayed in the lifted position as it is not coupled to the third sliding section 5, is lowered back to its initial position.

(49) FIG. 25 shows the stacking of the stack of the third and second sliding sections 4, 5 over the first sliding section 3. For this, the rail 21 under the stack of the third and second sliding sections 4, 5 is lifted, the stack is rolled over the first sliding section 3 by means of the wheels of the second sliding section 4, which is the lowest section in the stack, and the rail 21 of the second sliding section 4 used to lifted the stack is lowered back to its initial position.

(50) When all rails 21 are lowered to their initial position, the stack of sliding sections 3, 4, 5 can freely move axially on the rails 21, as shown in FIG. 26.

(51) Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

(52) For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of a or an throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and comprising does not exclude other steps or elements.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

(53) 1 Nacelle 2 Roof 3 First sliding section 4 Second sliding section 5 Third sliding section 6 Panels 7 Dome-shaped region 8 Roof opening 9 Front opening 10 Static section 11 Crane 20 Shifting means 21 Rail 22 Stud 23 Bracket/supporting element 24 Lifting system 30 Drive train 31 Main bearing 32 Gearbox 33 Generator 40 Wind turbine 41 Tower 42 Longitudinal axis 43 Hub 44 Blade